Spirit of the Holy Land
Our view of Israel has been muddied by conflict in the area over the past few decades, but that’s a shame as it’s been a cultural, political and religious centre for thousands of years.
At the intersection of Asia, Europe and Africa – geographically and culturally – Israel and the Palestinian Territories have always been a meeting place of cultures, empires and religions.
Holy sites
Cradle of Judaism and Christianity and sacred to Muslims and Baha’is, the Holy Land invites visitors to immerse themselves in the region’s religious traditions. Ancient Jewish sites include Jerusalem’s Western Wall and Byzantine-era synagogues. The Roman-era synagogues around the Sea of Galilee may have been used by Jews and Christians before they diverged into separate faiths.
Christian pilgrims and tourists can explore sites associated with Jesus’ birth (Bethlehem), ministry (Nazareth and around the Sea of Galilee), and crucifixion (Jerusalem). For Muslims, only Mecca and Medina are holier than Jerusalem’s Al Haram Ash Sharif, known to Jews as the Temple Mount – perhaps the most contested site on Earth.
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is a multicultural swirl of skyscrapers, bike paths, atmospheric cafes, stylish bistros and buff bods tanning on the sand. It may be a relatively new city by Israeli standards (first founded in 1909), but has earned Unesco World Heritage status by virtue of its 1930s-style Bauhaus architecture. Israel’s self-described ‘‘start-up city’’, it is world-renowned as a tech hub – as well as myriad bars, pubs and clubs.
Archaeology
Thanks to the painstaking work of generations of archaeologists, modern-day visitors can explore the 10,000-year-old mud-brick relics of Jericho, enter into the world of David and Solomon in Jerusalem’s City of David, and twin a visit to Masada, with its dramatic tale of resistance to the mighty legions of Rome, with a tour of the thoroughfares and theatres of Beit She’an, still pulsing with Roman opulence.
Adventures in Nature
Few countries have so much geographic variety packed into such a small space. Distances are short, so you can relax on a Mediterranean beach one day, spend the next floating in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea, and the day after that scuba diving in the Red Sea. Hikers can trek the length of the country on the Israel National Trail, explore spring-fed oases tucked into the arid bluffs above the Dead Sea, and visit the multi-coloured sandstone formations of Makhtesh Ramon. Many trails are ideal for mountain biking.
Israel and the Palestinian Territories’ Top 10 Dome of the Rock
The first sight of Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock – its gold top shimmering above a turquoise-hued octagonal base – takes your breath away. Perhaps that’s what the unknown architects had in mind more than 1300 years ago when they set to work on this impossibly gorgeous building. The best view, some say, is from the Mount of Olives, but don’t miss the chance to see it up close by taking an early-morning walk up to the Temple Mount/Al Haram Ash Sharif.
The Dead Sea
You pass a sign reading ‘‘sea level’’ then keep driving downhill, eventually catching glimpses of the cobalt-blue waters, outlined by snow-white salt deposits, reddish-tan cliffs and tufts of dark-green vegetation. At the oasis of Ein Gedi you can hike through steep canyons to crystal-clear pools and tumbling waterfalls, before climbing to the Judean